Gerald Wickham, Dominican University, Illinois (Sports & Leisure Studies at University of Ulster, Jordanstown)
“BEI definitely influenced my choice of career once I graduated. It motivated me to pursue work in higher education. I even met my wife while at Dominican University! I received my Masters Degree here too, and have worked the past 7 years in higher education. I speak about the programme often and always mention it to my University colleagues. It was the opportunity of a lifetime! Inspiring!”
Karen McCormack, Kendall College, Illinois (Hospitality Management, University of Ulster, Jordanstown)
“BEI has definitely improved my communication skills, and given me a more positive, can do attitude. Upon my return I found that was more likely to look for solutions and had become so much more proactive in all that I would do. My US classes were amazing! I was able to take courses which were not available at home, and the class in Event Management provided knowledge which is transferable in any job that I do. An incredibly worthwhile experience which money cannot buy!"
Tony Allen, Morningside College, Iowa (Finance and Computer Science, Queen’s University Belfast)
“Ten years on I still think about my BEI year as if it was yesterday; the friends, the experiences, the confidence and most importantly the chance to try different things are what the BEI did for me. Throughout my year I did things that I never thought possible or even dreamt about and have been back on many occasions to the college and Iowa is for sure my second home. The biggest thing that I got from the BEI was my ability to talk to anyone, and be confident and not worried about what others think or say. Thanks BEI for helping me become the person that I am today.”
Jill Culbertson, Wesley College, Delaware (Business Studies, University of Ulster, Jordanstown)
“I still, even after almost 10 years, consider the experience the best experience and year of my life. The experience provided me with the confidence in myself and the ability to sell myself which I lacked before the BEI. The chance to widen my perspective on the world and my outlook on the events in Northern Ireland was phenomenal and something that I would push and encourage others to do.”
Ciaran Devenney University of Dubuque, Iowa (Fine and Applied Arts, University of Ulster, Belfast)
“First of all, my experience on BEI opened me up to a new culture, new experiences, new philosophies, and the types of training and learning processes that I had never before encountered. Secondly, it blew up my social skills. Communicating with people became much easier and having a ‘charming’ Irish accent opened more doors than I could dream of.
I use these skills every day when my job is to earn the trust of whom ever may be in front of me. Once I earn that trust, they listen to me. Knowing what you’re talking about also helps a great deal. The BEI experience helped me to focus on who I am and where and who I wanted to be and it was through BEI that I even met my wife! It would be impossible for me to be in this great place today with the BEI experience.”
John Coey, Warren Wilson College, North Carolina (Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast)
“BEI was a fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity. Studying, living and socialising in a different cultural setting, alongside people from a wide variety of backgrounds, was a truly uplifting and inspiring experience. It assisted in substantially developing my communication and interpersonal skills which are pivotal in my current role as a project manager. I would encourage any young individual searching for a different perspective on life to partake in this worthwhile scheme”.
Adam Adams Pikeville College, Kentucky (HND Computer Studies, Fermanagh College)
“My BEI experience completely changed my life. At my placement college I met my wife and through the program I made lots of friends, many of whom I still keep in contact with today. I am now living in West Virginia as a permanent resident with my wife, Kristi and my son, Sean Patrick. My experience gained with the program not only gave me a better sense of direction in life but many other skills that I wouldn’t have had obtained at my home college such as living independently of family and adapting to the new environment and culture of the area I was placed in.”
Colin Woods, Alma College, Michigan (Law, Queen’s University Belfast)
“The year I spent on BEI stand out in my head for so many reasons. The friends I made there, the places I visited and being able to experience US College life first hand really broadened my horizons. The biggest direct benefits were the soft skills that you develop in a US College. There’s much more emphases on things like public speaking and team working. Going on BEI also gave me an extra dimension to my CV; the experiences I had while in the US and the classes I took there were of great benefit when I graduated and really gave me something to talk about in job interviews. Fantastic – the best year of my life! I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Brian Philip Davis, Centenary College, New Jersey (Design for Visual Communications, University of Ulster, Belfast)
Independent Filmmaker/ Editor “BEI certainly reaffirmed my choice of career. Meeting the kinds of people that I met from such a variety of background was an eye opener. Being close to a place like New York City allowed me to make contacts and visit the kinds of places that I had only ever imagined. The people and places that I experienced throughout the year would inspire my work for years to come even after graduation. A life-enhancing experience”
Laura McCullagh Nebraska Wesleyan University (Religious Studies, St. Mary’s University College)
“Participating in the BEI influenced me to undertake an MSc in communications with strategic management and marketing, as I studied business and communications in the states and thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt that the time I spent in the US gave me a good foundation of knowledge and I wanted to pursue this further with further study. I am also able to apply the knowledge from my time at NWU and I feel that the experience overall, in terms of my confidence and abilities has greatly improved.”
Adrian Moffett Waynesburg College, PA (Environmental Science, University of Ulster, Jordanstown)
“My experience in Waynesburg College and related outings to the various places of interest helped me grow in confidence and I travelled back to Northern Ireland feeling I had gained valuable experience and knowledge as a result of being on the BEI programme. I made many friends and still keep in touch with some of these contacts. It was truly a wonderful experience and helped to broaden my education and experience.”
Jackie McCarthy Agnes Scott College, GA (Modern History and Drama, Queen’s University Belfast)
“BEI provided me with the confidence, skills and experience to seek out a career that I would not have necessarily considered beforehand. I benefited immensely from the experience. Being away from home made me a more mature and well rounded individual. The level of interaction in the American classroom developed my communication and interpersonal skills while the heavy work load gave me a solid work ethic which I was able to transfer to the final year of my degree at Queen’s. It’s not until you’re back home for a good while that you reflect on what an impact it had on you. I had an unbelievable year and it completely changed my outlook on life by opening my eyes to endless possibilities.”
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